1. Introduction
The primary purpose will focus on reinterpreting the stoning of Naboth (1 Kings.21) in the light of Praxis Model in Myanmar context. There are documents, books and commentaries of 1 Kings.21, reinterpreting the God’s intervention between Ahab and Naboth, God’s call of the prophet Elijah from different context of the authors. This paper will attempt to reinterpret the case of Naboth and Ahab from the eyes of Myanmar people, to contextualize and find the theological significance and applications to apply in Myanmar context. Biblical background of the text and the current issues of Myanmar expecting socio-politico-religio-economic condition will be mentioned; the third section will provide methodology to solve the problems; the fourth section will be the main reinterpretation of this paper; and the concluding remarks will be followed.
2. Biblical Background of 1 Kings. 21
The historical anchor in 1 Kings 21:1 introduces certain terms that have associations that will help us understand the rest of the passage, “Later the following events took place: Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in Jezreel, beside the palace of King Ahab of Samaria.” Jezreel introduces a place of great blessing, and a royal palace for Ahab. It literally means, “God planted;” the Jezreel valley is tremendously fertile. Ahab stands for a king who deeply fell to the temptations of Canaanite idolatry. Samaria is the new palace from the Omri house, later a place where Amos condemned for its social injustices. All of these concepts of idolatry permeate the opening verse, the historical anchor of the text, and the natural reading of the passage must keep in mind these associations.[1] Israel’s King Omri (885-874 BC) achieved considerable international standing, though we learn nothing of this from the biblical account. On the Moabite Stone (or Mesha Stele), an inscription by King Mesha of Moab c. 850 BC to commemorate his successful rebellion against Israel (2 Kings. 3:4-27), Omri is named as the king who had earlier conquered Moab and made it Israel’s vassal. As late as 722 BC, Israel is referred to in Assyrian sources as ‘the land of Omri.’[2]Ahab became king in Israel because he was Omri’s son goodwill of the people. His marriage with Jezebel, daughter of the king of Phoenicia, made him tolerant of those who wanted to take part in the fertility cults. The people in his kingdom who were descendants of the Canaanites were happy under his rule, and worship of the Baalism became very popular. This was why God called Elijah to rebuke the people for worshipping false gods: ‘How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, then follow him’ (1 Kings. 18:21). The full story of Elijah’s challenge to Ahab, and to the people of Israel can be found in 1 Kings 17-21.[3]
The well-known incient of Naboth’s vineyard is set in Jezreel, where Ahab and Jezebel had a second royal residence. Ahab’s offer to purchase the vineyard was reasonable enough, but Naboth had good grounds for refusing it. Apart from the fact that a vineyard represented an enormous investment of time and effort, selling his land would have gone against the grain of OT law. In Israelite society a family and its inherited plot of land were meant to be inseparable. This explains the strength of Naboth’s refusal. An Israelite king was bound by the law of Yahweh as much as any of his subjects (Dt. 17:18-20), but to Jezebel, the daughter of a Phoenician monarch, it was ridiculous that her husband’s wishes should be thwarted because one of his subjects chose to abide by an ancient institution.[4] Ahab is spoken of in this chapter as a man who, joining Jezebel in sin, ‘sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the Lord’ (v.25) and in an earlier chapter it is clear stated that his marriage with Jezebel was the one sin which displeased God more than anything else he did in his life. It was through this marriage that ‘he sold himself’ to work whatever evil was the will of his wife (cf. 16:30-33).[5]
Royal corruption and abuse of power played the central role in the Old Testament community. The Old Testament includes some vividly trenchant critique of the violent corruption of power and the gaining of wealth at the expense of the poverty of others. Solomon, of course, is the prime example as his later reign degenerated into naked exploitation of the northern tribes in a way that doubtless contributed to his legendary wealth and splendor, but equally clearly sparked the revolt that tore the whole northern section of the kingdom away from his son Rehoboam (I Kgs. 11-12). Later kings followed suit to one degree or another. Ahab’s greed smashes a Naboth. Jehoiakim’s greed builds his own conspicuous whole abusive history of the monarchy in Jerusalem thus: “See how each of the princes of Israel who are in you uses his power to shed blood… There is a conspiracy of her princes within her like a roaring lion tearing its prey; they devour people, take treasures and precious things and make many widows within her.” Not surpringinsly, ordinary people follow the examples of their political masters: ‘The people of the land practice extortion and commit robbery; they oppress the poor and needy and ill-treat the alien, denying them justice’ (Ezek. 22:6, 25, 29).[6]
2.1. Problems and Its Theological Critiques
Looking at the condition of social, economic, politic and religious there is sever setbacks in the hearts of Myanmar people. All realms of moral corruption, dehumanization, social injustice, and marginalization are currently taken place. The people recognize the political m
ovement as doing injustice, corruption, bribery and competition with illegally. Even in the Old Testament period, these three movements had been practiced corruptly and perversely into sinful nature by those who had authority and power over lower classes. They are corrupted with religious idolatry, political idolatry, economic idolatry and social idolatry. That is why God called the prophets to transform those wrong concepts. In fact, the affair of political movement, economic affair are pure and holy, generated by God to human in order to see the Holiness and Love of God for God’s administration over His people is justice, holy and right. God’s demand in political and economic affair is holy and just. However, there are a lot of political corruptions, social unjust and economic corruption in all realms of the churches. In this presence age, there are different types of corruptions in the churches, society and community. Even though the people knew the unjust act of Ahab and Jezebel, they did not condemn them and saved Ahab. The reason is that the environment knew Ahab was king; he had power and authority over them. That is the worship of human, idolatry before God’s sight. The same adultery happens in this present day. Religious idolatry, economic idolatry, social idolatry and political idolatry create violence; influence all sides of Myanmar today. Therefore, (a) Who is king Ahab and Naboth today? (b) What is political and economic idolatry? (c) What is religious idolatry? (d) What is social idolatry? (e) How can we conquer over those idolatries for the victims?
3. Methodology
This section will define the methodology of this paper which will be used as interpreting tools to solve the problems and reach the goal of this paper. The author chooses Praxis Model as interpreting tool in order to deal with the whole thesis. However, there are also some relevant methods which can be considered to deal with this paper such as liberation approach, God’s preferential Option for the Poor, Identification Model, etc… The author believes that Praxis Model will be relevant and enough to reach the goal of this paper.
3.1. Praxis Model
Praxis (Gr. “action,” “practice”) is a term used in liberation theologies for a combination of action and reflection which seeks the transformation of oppressive situations and the social order. It marks the beginning place for theological reflection and focuses on the dialectic of theory and practice.[7] The aim of contextual theology is not only to understand and interpret God’s act, or to give reason for their faith, but to help suffering people in their struggle to change their situation in accordance with the vision of the gospel of justice and freedom from bondage to fullness of life. In a very real sense, the praxis type of contextual theology is liberative. It seeks to raise the critical awareness of people about their situation and to empower them to change cultural values and social structures undergirding human relationships.[8] The intelligence is that the method stems from actions and struggles and works out of a theoretical base (social analysis being one expression) that illuminates and examines these actions. It is by acting and then reflecting on that action in faith that practitioners of the praxis model believe one can develop a theology that is truly relevant to a particular context.[9] The author would like to open the window to transform the idolatry of social, economic, political and religious of Myanmar in the light of Praxis Model. It will seek to claim justice from theory to practice; righteousness from theory to practice; and love from theory to practice in this broken community.
4. The Stoning of Naboth: Reading 1 Kings 21 from Myanmar Eyes
Chapter 21 traces the events leading up to Ahab’s death. The scene is in Jezreel, where Ahab and Jezebel had a palace. Adjoining the palace was a vineyard owned by Naboth the Jezreelite. Ahab desired to annex the vineyard so he could plant a vegetable garden there. Naboth refused to sell or exchange his land, since the law of Israel decreed that property should remain in the family to which it was originally assigned (Lev. 25:23-28; Num. 36:7; Ezek. 46:18).[10] To Naboth one of the most sacred laws of the Lord, was that no man could ever sell his land. ‘The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine’ (Lev. 25:23). Land was considered as given by God to the people. It was regarded as a threat to the brotherhood, peace, and family life in the community for a man to sell his land, or for another, even the king, to offer to purchase it. To Naboth the religious and legal tradition in Israel did not allow for anyone, even the king, to acquire great estates. He could remember Samuel’s warnings against the greed of royal power (1 Sam. 8:14) and the tradition teaching of his faith on the limitations of kingship (Deut. 17:4-20).[11] When Jezebel found her husband vexed and sullen and learned of Naboth’s refusal to sell his vineyard, she assured Ahab that the vineyard would soon be his. She ordered a fast and a court of inquiry. Two evil men were appointed to charge Naboth with blasphemy against God and the king. Accordingly, Naboth was taken outside the city and stoned to death.[12] The case of Ahab and Naboth is certainly the subject of justice and righteousness; everyone immediately knows that Ahab is unjust and evil, Naboth is the righteous, and who is unjustly suppressed and murdered. Therefore, God calls the prophet Elijah to let know His Holiness, justice, righteousness and love.
Elijah now enters the scene to demonstrate the principle that justice fits the crime. A double charge was brought against Naboth: of blasphemy, and of cursing a ruler of his people. A double charge is made against Ahab: of murder and of theft.[13] When Ahab was on his way to take possession of the vineyard, Elijah met him and condemned him for murder and theft. Elijah predicted that Ahab himself would be slain, that his male descendants would be slain, ending his dynasty, that the body of Jezebel would be eaten by dogs in Jezreel, and that Ahab’s descendants would not be given a decent burial. The severity of Ahab’s punishment is explained by the extremes to which he went in idolatry—“there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do wickedness.”[14] The case of Naboth was not just one of royal greed; the means used to get rid of him was a blatant manipulation of Israel’s own legal system by Jezebel (with Ahab acquiescent). Amos 5:7, 11-12 spotlights the terrible corruption of the courts that turned justice to poison for the poor. The powerful could then legislate poverty by decree. This is a common cause for complaint in the Psalms, when the poor who are ‘righteous’ (legally in the right as against wicked opponents) find no human redress in the assembly and can appeal only to God. The failure of the judges to do their job will arouse God’s fury and their eventual destruction (Ps. 82).[15] The poor and slaves were wrongly oppressed and judged by various ways of cases.
When Ahab requested Naboth to buy his vineyard, Ahab thought that Naboth would easily accept and even he would give his vineyard for no price. Unfortunately, Naboth refused! Ahab suppressed because he was full of pride, that is, he thought that as he was a king, a lower class might respect and he could do whatever he wanted upon small. However, before God there is no class, kinds and different in human nature. Likewise in this present day, the rich believes they can do everything what they want upon lower class, the poor. Being rich never rule dimension of human dignity before God’s sight. There is the glorious nature of God who is always ready to forgive His people when they repent and humble before Him. Ahab tore his clothes, took them off, and put on sackcloth. He did not have food, slept in the sackcloth, and went about gloomy and depressed. God’s mercy upon His people has not limited, the ongoing process of God’s Love upon human is constantly given to us.
4.1. Political and Economic Idolatry
The sin of Rehoboam was the oppressive abuse of power for personal wealth and prestige. He inherited, of course, from his father, Solomon, an already overloaded empire that depended on an oppressive burden of taxation and forced labor. But Rehoboam deliberately chose the path of oppression and rule by force as a declared policy of state (1 Kgs. 12:1-14), even when offered an alternative. In doing so he rejected the advice of the elders, who reminded him of the authentic Israelite concept of political leadership—mutual servanthood: “If today you will be a servant to these people and serve them… they will always be our servants” (1 Ks. 12:7). He rejected more than human advice. He also rejected the clear covenantal demands of the Lord, that justice and compassion should characterize all dealings within Israel, and especially be the mark of those in political authority.[16]
It is observed that the changing political history and situation of Myanmar, it is seen clearly that what peace, freedom and hope mean by the ruling military regime is never the peace, freedom and hope which the Myanmar people really want and search for. Militarism is understood as an armed force to be used as a means for controlling people with conflicts in the name of peace and development, that is, without paying attention to demands of the poor majority who struggled for their own freedom, rights and survivals.[17] In Myanmar, the military regime and dictatorship are the commonly criticized and interested by many theologians. Political situation of Myanmar is not steady and corrupted for long times. Since the Burmese military took state power by killing thousands of innocent people in 1988, gross violations of human rights is committed by the military regime including political suppression, arbitrary detention, torture, rape, disappearances, extra-judicial killings, oppression of ethnic and religious minorities, and use of forced labor.[18] On the other hand, the environment today is characterized by climate change, air pollution, noise pollution, water pollution, loss of habitat, and loss of biodiversity, of farmland and forests. In the process of globalization aimed at attracting foreign capital to bring in more economic gain, the environment is being destroyed.[19] Cultivating the earth for many years has caused the earth to be infertile and barren land. The hills of the Wa region is barren and rice cannot be grown which creates food shortage. Precious stones, ruby, jades, gems and jewels are amazing natural minerals in Myanmar; these precious natural products are exploited by elite people for their economic benefits.[20] Pride drives out love and creates crisis in our community. Who are our neighbors? All human beings are our neighbors whom we can see and connected. Unjust use of toxic chemicals into food populates the disease illness; unjust use of toxic fertilizers endangers the health. Most Myanmar people suffer from the economic exploitation by the power holders, diseases illness from unjust using of biochemical, political oppression, natural disasters caused by the riches, poverty caused by crony, human trafficking and ethnocentric favoritism, and some person were martyred for justice, assassinated, and imprisoned in order to get freedom, e.g., Za Ga Na, Daw Suh Kyi, etc..., and General Aung San was unforgettable martyr who was assassinated for the country. The elites never try to see the importance of one live to destroy: they are blinded by money; they are fooled by properties; they are evils before God like king Ahab. Freedom is sold by one live; justice and righteousness is stoned to death.
4.2. Religious Adultery
The sin of Jeroboam was to subordinate religious practice to political ends—the survival and bolstering of his own infant state. The idolatry of the northern kingdom was focused on the golden calves at Bethel and Dan. The real thrust of Jeroboam’s idolatry lies in the motives of his action and the additional religious rituals and offices he initiated. His intention was clearly to protect his own nascent kingdom from any popular hankering after the splendor of Jerusalem. He elaborated an alternative cultic system for the northern kingdom. The case is shown with ironic clarity in the angry words of Amaziah, the high priest at Bethel under Jeroboam II, against Amos: ‘Get out, you seer! . . . Don’t prophesy any more at Bethel, because this is the king’s sanctuary and the temple of the kingdom’ (Amos7:12-13). The prophets refused to allow the authority of God or God’s prophetic word to be hijacked to legitimize human political ambitions—sometimes a costly opposition.[21]
There has been a religious tension between Christianity and Buddhism in Mezaing (Mae Sit Hta) village in Hpa-an township. U Thu Zana, the abbot of Myaing Gyi Ngu, a highly influential monk in the area, ordered the construction of a pagoda without getting permission from the Mezaing church. Naw Grace, a member of the Mezaing church said the construction of a 13.5 ft. high pagoda and a temple in the church compound began on August 21, 2015.[22] The Chins relentlessly continue to resist Burmanization—one race, one language, and one religion (Burman, Burmese, and Buddhism) for protecting their religious, cultural, and ethnic identities. Christianity has now become the national identity of the Chins, and they, unlike some ethnic groups in the country, such as the Shan and Mon, whom the Burman has successfully assimilated, must continue to embrace Christianity as their national religion, for religion is the most effective vehicle for the protection of ethnic identity.[23]
For typical Jews, the commandment of “Love your Neighbor” was interpreted only in terms of:
(1) their religion, Judaism
(2) their race, land and space as a geo-political hegemony, regarding the city of Jerusalem as the center of the universe.
The primary purpose will focus on reinterpreting the stoning of Naboth (1 Kings.21) in the light of Praxis Model in Myanmar context. There are documents, books and commentaries of 1 Kings.21, reinterpreting the God’s intervention between Ahab and Naboth, God’s call of the prophet Elijah from different context of the authors. This paper will attempt to reinterpret the case of Naboth and Ahab from the eyes of Myanmar people, to contextualize and find the theological significance and applications to apply in Myanmar context. Biblical background of the text and the current issues of Myanmar expecting socio-politico-religio-economic condition will be mentioned; the third section will provide methodology to solve the problems; the fourth section will be the main reinterpretation of this paper; and the concluding remarks will be followed.
2. Biblical Background of 1 Kings. 21
The historical anchor in 1 Kings 21:1 introduces certain terms that have associations that will help us understand the rest of the passage, “Later the following events took place: Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in Jezreel, beside the palace of King Ahab of Samaria.” Jezreel introduces a place of great blessing, and a royal palace for Ahab. It literally means, “God planted;” the Jezreel valley is tremendously fertile. Ahab stands for a king who deeply fell to the temptations of Canaanite idolatry. Samaria is the new palace from the Omri house, later a place where Amos condemned for its social injustices. All of these concepts of idolatry permeate the opening verse, the historical anchor of the text, and the natural reading of the passage must keep in mind these associations.[1] Israel’s King Omri (885-874 BC) achieved considerable international standing, though we learn nothing of this from the biblical account. On the Moabite Stone (or Mesha Stele), an inscription by King Mesha of Moab c. 850 BC to commemorate his successful rebellion against Israel (2 Kings. 3:4-27), Omri is named as the king who had earlier conquered Moab and made it Israel’s vassal. As late as 722 BC, Israel is referred to in Assyrian sources as ‘the land of Omri.’[2]Ahab became king in Israel because he was Omri’s son goodwill of the people. His marriage with Jezebel, daughter of the king of Phoenicia, made him tolerant of those who wanted to take part in the fertility cults. The people in his kingdom who were descendants of the Canaanites were happy under his rule, and worship of the Baalism became very popular. This was why God called Elijah to rebuke the people for worshipping false gods: ‘How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, then follow him’ (1 Kings. 18:21). The full story of Elijah’s challenge to Ahab, and to the people of Israel can be found in 1 Kings 17-21.[3]
The well-known incient of Naboth’s vineyard is set in Jezreel, where Ahab and Jezebel had a second royal residence. Ahab’s offer to purchase the vineyard was reasonable enough, but Naboth had good grounds for refusing it. Apart from the fact that a vineyard represented an enormous investment of time and effort, selling his land would have gone against the grain of OT law. In Israelite society a family and its inherited plot of land were meant to be inseparable. This explains the strength of Naboth’s refusal. An Israelite king was bound by the law of Yahweh as much as any of his subjects (Dt. 17:18-20), but to Jezebel, the daughter of a Phoenician monarch, it was ridiculous that her husband’s wishes should be thwarted because one of his subjects chose to abide by an ancient institution.[4] Ahab is spoken of in this chapter as a man who, joining Jezebel in sin, ‘sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the Lord’ (v.25) and in an earlier chapter it is clear stated that his marriage with Jezebel was the one sin which displeased God more than anything else he did in his life. It was through this marriage that ‘he sold himself’ to work whatever evil was the will of his wife (cf. 16:30-33).[5]
Royal corruption and abuse of power played the central role in the Old Testament community. The Old Testament includes some vividly trenchant critique of the violent corruption of power and the gaining of wealth at the expense of the poverty of others. Solomon, of course, is the prime example as his later reign degenerated into naked exploitation of the northern tribes in a way that doubtless contributed to his legendary wealth and splendor, but equally clearly sparked the revolt that tore the whole northern section of the kingdom away from his son Rehoboam (I Kgs. 11-12). Later kings followed suit to one degree or another. Ahab’s greed smashes a Naboth. Jehoiakim’s greed builds his own conspicuous whole abusive history of the monarchy in Jerusalem thus: “See how each of the princes of Israel who are in you uses his power to shed blood… There is a conspiracy of her princes within her like a roaring lion tearing its prey; they devour people, take treasures and precious things and make many widows within her.” Not surpringinsly, ordinary people follow the examples of their political masters: ‘The people of the land practice extortion and commit robbery; they oppress the poor and needy and ill-treat the alien, denying them justice’ (Ezek. 22:6, 25, 29).[6]
2.1. Problems and Its Theological Critiques
Looking at the condition of social, economic, politic and religious there is sever setbacks in the hearts of Myanmar people. All realms of moral corruption, dehumanization, social injustice, and marginalization are currently taken place. The people recognize the political m
ovement as doing injustice, corruption, bribery and competition with illegally. Even in the Old Testament period, these three movements had been practiced corruptly and perversely into sinful nature by those who had authority and power over lower classes. They are corrupted with religious idolatry, political idolatry, economic idolatry and social idolatry. That is why God called the prophets to transform those wrong concepts. In fact, the affair of political movement, economic affair are pure and holy, generated by God to human in order to see the Holiness and Love of God for God’s administration over His people is justice, holy and right. God’s demand in political and economic affair is holy and just. However, there are a lot of political corruptions, social unjust and economic corruption in all realms of the churches. In this presence age, there are different types of corruptions in the churches, society and community. Even though the people knew the unjust act of Ahab and Jezebel, they did not condemn them and saved Ahab. The reason is that the environment knew Ahab was king; he had power and authority over them. That is the worship of human, idolatry before God’s sight. The same adultery happens in this present day. Religious idolatry, economic idolatry, social idolatry and political idolatry create violence; influence all sides of Myanmar today. Therefore, (a) Who is king Ahab and Naboth today? (b) What is political and economic idolatry? (c) What is religious idolatry? (d) What is social idolatry? (e) How can we conquer over those idolatries for the victims?
3. Methodology
This section will define the methodology of this paper which will be used as interpreting tools to solve the problems and reach the goal of this paper. The author chooses Praxis Model as interpreting tool in order to deal with the whole thesis. However, there are also some relevant methods which can be considered to deal with this paper such as liberation approach, God’s preferential Option for the Poor, Identification Model, etc… The author believes that Praxis Model will be relevant and enough to reach the goal of this paper.
3.1. Praxis Model
Praxis (Gr. “action,” “practice”) is a term used in liberation theologies for a combination of action and reflection which seeks the transformation of oppressive situations and the social order. It marks the beginning place for theological reflection and focuses on the dialectic of theory and practice.[7] The aim of contextual theology is not only to understand and interpret God’s act, or to give reason for their faith, but to help suffering people in their struggle to change their situation in accordance with the vision of the gospel of justice and freedom from bondage to fullness of life. In a very real sense, the praxis type of contextual theology is liberative. It seeks to raise the critical awareness of people about their situation and to empower them to change cultural values and social structures undergirding human relationships.[8] The intelligence is that the method stems from actions and struggles and works out of a theoretical base (social analysis being one expression) that illuminates and examines these actions. It is by acting and then reflecting on that action in faith that practitioners of the praxis model believe one can develop a theology that is truly relevant to a particular context.[9] The author would like to open the window to transform the idolatry of social, economic, political and religious of Myanmar in the light of Praxis Model. It will seek to claim justice from theory to practice; righteousness from theory to practice; and love from theory to practice in this broken community.
4. The Stoning of Naboth: Reading 1 Kings 21 from Myanmar Eyes
Chapter 21 traces the events leading up to Ahab’s death. The scene is in Jezreel, where Ahab and Jezebel had a palace. Adjoining the palace was a vineyard owned by Naboth the Jezreelite. Ahab desired to annex the vineyard so he could plant a vegetable garden there. Naboth refused to sell or exchange his land, since the law of Israel decreed that property should remain in the family to which it was originally assigned (Lev. 25:23-28; Num. 36:7; Ezek. 46:18).[10] To Naboth one of the most sacred laws of the Lord, was that no man could ever sell his land. ‘The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine’ (Lev. 25:23). Land was considered as given by God to the people. It was regarded as a threat to the brotherhood, peace, and family life in the community for a man to sell his land, or for another, even the king, to offer to purchase it. To Naboth the religious and legal tradition in Israel did not allow for anyone, even the king, to acquire great estates. He could remember Samuel’s warnings against the greed of royal power (1 Sam. 8:14) and the tradition teaching of his faith on the limitations of kingship (Deut. 17:4-20).[11] When Jezebel found her husband vexed and sullen and learned of Naboth’s refusal to sell his vineyard, she assured Ahab that the vineyard would soon be his. She ordered a fast and a court of inquiry. Two evil men were appointed to charge Naboth with blasphemy against God and the king. Accordingly, Naboth was taken outside the city and stoned to death.[12] The case of Ahab and Naboth is certainly the subject of justice and righteousness; everyone immediately knows that Ahab is unjust and evil, Naboth is the righteous, and who is unjustly suppressed and murdered. Therefore, God calls the prophet Elijah to let know His Holiness, justice, righteousness and love.
Elijah now enters the scene to demonstrate the principle that justice fits the crime. A double charge was brought against Naboth: of blasphemy, and of cursing a ruler of his people. A double charge is made against Ahab: of murder and of theft.[13] When Ahab was on his way to take possession of the vineyard, Elijah met him and condemned him for murder and theft. Elijah predicted that Ahab himself would be slain, that his male descendants would be slain, ending his dynasty, that the body of Jezebel would be eaten by dogs in Jezreel, and that Ahab’s descendants would not be given a decent burial. The severity of Ahab’s punishment is explained by the extremes to which he went in idolatry—“there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do wickedness.”[14] The case of Naboth was not just one of royal greed; the means used to get rid of him was a blatant manipulation of Israel’s own legal system by Jezebel (with Ahab acquiescent). Amos 5:7, 11-12 spotlights the terrible corruption of the courts that turned justice to poison for the poor. The powerful could then legislate poverty by decree. This is a common cause for complaint in the Psalms, when the poor who are ‘righteous’ (legally in the right as against wicked opponents) find no human redress in the assembly and can appeal only to God. The failure of the judges to do their job will arouse God’s fury and their eventual destruction (Ps. 82).[15] The poor and slaves were wrongly oppressed and judged by various ways of cases.
When Ahab requested Naboth to buy his vineyard, Ahab thought that Naboth would easily accept and even he would give his vineyard for no price. Unfortunately, Naboth refused! Ahab suppressed because he was full of pride, that is, he thought that as he was a king, a lower class might respect and he could do whatever he wanted upon small. However, before God there is no class, kinds and different in human nature. Likewise in this present day, the rich believes they can do everything what they want upon lower class, the poor. Being rich never rule dimension of human dignity before God’s sight. There is the glorious nature of God who is always ready to forgive His people when they repent and humble before Him. Ahab tore his clothes, took them off, and put on sackcloth. He did not have food, slept in the sackcloth, and went about gloomy and depressed. God’s mercy upon His people has not limited, the ongoing process of God’s Love upon human is constantly given to us.
4.1. Political and Economic Idolatry
The sin of Rehoboam was the oppressive abuse of power for personal wealth and prestige. He inherited, of course, from his father, Solomon, an already overloaded empire that depended on an oppressive burden of taxation and forced labor. But Rehoboam deliberately chose the path of oppression and rule by force as a declared policy of state (1 Kgs. 12:1-14), even when offered an alternative. In doing so he rejected the advice of the elders, who reminded him of the authentic Israelite concept of political leadership—mutual servanthood: “If today you will be a servant to these people and serve them… they will always be our servants” (1 Ks. 12:7). He rejected more than human advice. He also rejected the clear covenantal demands of the Lord, that justice and compassion should characterize all dealings within Israel, and especially be the mark of those in political authority.[16]
It is observed that the changing political history and situation of Myanmar, it is seen clearly that what peace, freedom and hope mean by the ruling military regime is never the peace, freedom and hope which the Myanmar people really want and search for. Militarism is understood as an armed force to be used as a means for controlling people with conflicts in the name of peace and development, that is, without paying attention to demands of the poor majority who struggled for their own freedom, rights and survivals.[17] In Myanmar, the military regime and dictatorship are the commonly criticized and interested by many theologians. Political situation of Myanmar is not steady and corrupted for long times. Since the Burmese military took state power by killing thousands of innocent people in 1988, gross violations of human rights is committed by the military regime including political suppression, arbitrary detention, torture, rape, disappearances, extra-judicial killings, oppression of ethnic and religious minorities, and use of forced labor.[18] On the other hand, the environment today is characterized by climate change, air pollution, noise pollution, water pollution, loss of habitat, and loss of biodiversity, of farmland and forests. In the process of globalization aimed at attracting foreign capital to bring in more economic gain, the environment is being destroyed.[19] Cultivating the earth for many years has caused the earth to be infertile and barren land. The hills of the Wa region is barren and rice cannot be grown which creates food shortage. Precious stones, ruby, jades, gems and jewels are amazing natural minerals in Myanmar; these precious natural products are exploited by elite people for their economic benefits.[20] Pride drives out love and creates crisis in our community. Who are our neighbors? All human beings are our neighbors whom we can see and connected. Unjust use of toxic chemicals into food populates the disease illness; unjust use of toxic fertilizers endangers the health. Most Myanmar people suffer from the economic exploitation by the power holders, diseases illness from unjust using of biochemical, political oppression, natural disasters caused by the riches, poverty caused by crony, human trafficking and ethnocentric favoritism, and some person were martyred for justice, assassinated, and imprisoned in order to get freedom, e.g., Za Ga Na, Daw Suh Kyi, etc..., and General Aung San was unforgettable martyr who was assassinated for the country. The elites never try to see the importance of one live to destroy: they are blinded by money; they are fooled by properties; they are evils before God like king Ahab. Freedom is sold by one live; justice and righteousness is stoned to death.
4.2. Religious Adultery
The sin of Jeroboam was to subordinate religious practice to political ends—the survival and bolstering of his own infant state. The idolatry of the northern kingdom was focused on the golden calves at Bethel and Dan. The real thrust of Jeroboam’s idolatry lies in the motives of his action and the additional religious rituals and offices he initiated. His intention was clearly to protect his own nascent kingdom from any popular hankering after the splendor of Jerusalem. He elaborated an alternative cultic system for the northern kingdom. The case is shown with ironic clarity in the angry words of Amaziah, the high priest at Bethel under Jeroboam II, against Amos: ‘Get out, you seer! . . . Don’t prophesy any more at Bethel, because this is the king’s sanctuary and the temple of the kingdom’ (Amos7:12-13). The prophets refused to allow the authority of God or God’s prophetic word to be hijacked to legitimize human political ambitions—sometimes a costly opposition.[21]
There has been a religious tension between Christianity and Buddhism in Mezaing (Mae Sit Hta) village in Hpa-an township. U Thu Zana, the abbot of Myaing Gyi Ngu, a highly influential monk in the area, ordered the construction of a pagoda without getting permission from the Mezaing church. Naw Grace, a member of the Mezaing church said the construction of a 13.5 ft. high pagoda and a temple in the church compound began on August 21, 2015.[22] The Chins relentlessly continue to resist Burmanization—one race, one language, and one religion (Burman, Burmese, and Buddhism) for protecting their religious, cultural, and ethnic identities. Christianity has now become the national identity of the Chins, and they, unlike some ethnic groups in the country, such as the Shan and Mon, whom the Burman has successfully assimilated, must continue to embrace Christianity as their national religion, for religion is the most effective vehicle for the protection of ethnic identity.[23]
For typical Jews, the commandment of “Love your Neighbor” was interpreted only in terms of:
(1) their religion, Judaism
(2) their race, land and space as a geo-political hegemony, regarding the city of Jerusalem as the center of the universe.
In that context, ‘love your neighbor’ means love neighbor of the same religion, love neighbor of the same race or nation, and love neighbor of the same territory, land and space. One cannot love the other without loving his or her religion, culture, land and space.
According to the Bible, we see that Jesus defines “love your neighbor” very broadly and inclusively as “love all human beings.” All human beings mean:
(1) not only dignified Jews but also despised non-Jews such as Samaritans (Luke 10:29-37)
(2) not only known friends but also unknown enemies like the Roman soldiers (Matt. 5:43-48)
(3) not only Jewish children but also children of the gentiles (Mark 7:24)
(4) not only good men but also all sinners including women (Matt. 11:19, 9:13; John. 4:16; 8:10-11) [24]
The rich control the government and the spheres of human lives by their own. Their vital equipment and instrument is money which lie the heart of people. The rich control the pastors and elders in the church in the light of materialism. This can be seen as the religious adultery before God. There is no dignity in the society and constitution. The rich put their powers over all the ruling class in the church. There is no the Kingdom of God in that area. Strictly speaking, this is idolatry which Paul also insists in Colossian 3:5. This is the idolatry which drives out the place of God’s Kingdom and replace with covetousness. This is not holy before God because what being holy is to do justice; not escapism. God always cries out with the oppressed in the community; doing dirty makes God be angry. When one did injustice and corruption, the Holy Spirit within him/her becomes grieved. The power holders murder the poor in the society.
4.3. Social Idolatry: Justice is Sold and Stone to Death
The New Testament teaching about the nature and origin of sin and evil suggests that we should see behind Jezebel’s ruthless nihilistic determination to obliterate all goodness and truth around her, a sign that there is at work in the sphere of human life powers of evil, of a personal nature, which we often call ‘satanic’. They are continually at work around us in society seeking to destroy God’s loving purposes in human life. They seek the alliance of others in their purpose to thwart and pervert the work of God. Their origin is a mystery. Jesus affirmed that Satan was ‘a murderer from the beginning’ (John. 8:44). But his work among us is tragically real and ‘devilish’. No woman by herself could have made herself jezebel. New Testament teaching also suggests that within the personal plight of a man like Ahab we should see evidence not simply of the work of evil on a human level but of the activity of this same evil power seeking to extend its kingdom. Jesus once warned even the apostle Peter that he was in danger of falling under bondage more tragic than that which enslaved Ahab. He could only be saved from it by Jesus’ prayers. ‘Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you’ (Luke 22:31).[25]
Globalization born of the principle dimension of the ranking class, the gap between master and salves, and the gap between the poor and rich. The current situations of civilization clarify the dignity and kind of people. The political and economic condition is not stable, relying on those who are rich and own possession largely. Today there are elite who sell their righteousness to grab what they desire. The desire destroys their lives, the desire pervert their love into hatred. The commandment of Jesus has no place to stand in our community: to love our neighbors, not even to love our neighbors as ourselves. It seems that the present condition of the world is a game by the riches that play and exit the games whenever they want. The rich program the entire systems of human lives. The victims become voiceless and silent to play their freedom.
Moral corrupted creates the crisis of social unjust, human exploitation and marginalization. The people recognize the pure politic into politic as corrupted and evils. There is lots of unjust grabbing of lands by the elites and unclear laws destroyed the farmers and land owners. These are not the demands of God and God always hear the outcries of the oppressed. There is no place for justice and righteous to stand in the midst of community. Before the very eyes of God, they are the murderer and thieves who have not love and compassion before His people. Justice and righteousness are stoned to death and covered by perverted powers. Paul teaches us to cut out our desire which makes us unsatisfied. If it is the desire for money, it leads to theft. If it is the desire for prestige, it leads to evil ambition. If it is the desire for power, it leads to sadistic tyranny. If it is the desire for a person, it leads to sexual sin. Today the Holy Spirit is angry and grieved; righteousness is angry because of exploitation, oppression, bribery, corruption and unjust administration and constitution in our society.
5. Concluding Remarks
Conclude this paper; the attempt is expounded to sweep the religious idolatry, economic idolatry, social idolatry and political idolatry in all realms of our society. God calls the prophet Elijah to reveal His mercy upon the oppressed and poor what king Ahab unjustly accuses upon Naboth. God never neglects the unjust acts of human; God never lets the injustice and unrighteousness upon the victims. It is time to liberate the prisoners who are imprisoned from the bondage of the social, political, economic and religious idolatry. Innocent lost their properties and lives for the sake of unjust system done by the elites. What happened in Israel reminds us of the great affirmation of the apostle Paul about liberty: ‘Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom’ (2 Cor. 3:17). The true political liberty which can bring security and satisfaction to the free individual in the midst of a free community is the gift of the Spirit of God, and it can be fostered and kept within a nation only as men allow the true and living God who has revealed himself in Jesus Christ to be proclaimed and worshipped without hindrance or neglect.[26] The true politic is pure and holy; it is the gift of God and inspired by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is working together with us so that physical handicap, psychological poor in our community are preferred by Jesus Christ who shares His life with the poor, eats with outcastes, lives with marginalized, sinners, prostitutes, tax collectors; creates freedom, equality and peaceful society; drives out evils and exorcises demons. This same Jesus calls us to do theology with Him, to build His Kingdom here on earth. In this present day, we really need peace as our ruler; justice and righteousness must be centered in our community from theory to practice in order to drive out all evils within social, economic, politic and religious affairs.
David John
[1]
Roger Nam, Commentary on 1 Kings:21:
Working Preacher, [article online] Available from https://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=1713,
Internet accessed on January 24th, 2016.
[2]
John J. Bimson, ‘I & II Kings’ in New
Bible Commentary, et al, eds., D. A. Carson & R. T. France (Illinois:
Inter-Varsity Press, 2012), 337.
[3]
David F. Hinson, Old Testament
Introduction I: History of Israel, Revised Edition (London: SPCK, 1990), 113
[4]
Ibid, John J. Bimson, ‘I & II Kings’ in New
Bible Commentary, et al, eds., D. A. Carson & R. T. France, 361.
[5]
Ronald S. Wallace, Readings in 1 Kings:
An Interpretation Arranged for Personal and Group Bible Study With Questions
and Notes (Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1995), 115
[6]
Christopher J. H. Wright, Old Testament
Ethics for the People of Food (Andhra Pradesh: OM-Authentic Media, 2006),
171.
[7]
Donald K. McKim, Westminster Dictionary
of Theological Terms (Lousville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1996), 216.
[8]
Lourdino A. Yuzon, “Towards a
Contextual Theology” in Christian Conference of Asia Bulletin [article
online] Available from http://cca.org.hk/home/ctc/ctc94-02/1.yuzon.htm, Internet accessed on January 19th,
2016.
[9]
John E. Paver, Theological Reflection and
Education for Ministry: The Search for Integration in Theology (Cornwall:
MPG Books Ltd., 2006), 58.
[10]
William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible
Commentary, ed., Art Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995),
384.
[11]
Ibid, Ronald S. Wallace, Readings in 1
Kings: An Interpretation Arranged for Personal and Group Bible Study with
Questions and Notes, 152-153.
[12]
Ibid, William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible
Commentary, ed., Art Farstad, 384.
[13]
A. Graeme Auld, I & II Kings: The
Daily Study Bible Series (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1986), 138.
[14]
Ibid, William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible
Commentary, ed., Art Farstad, 384.
[15]
Ibid, Christopher J. H. Wright, Old
Testament Ethics for the People of Food, 171.
[16]
Ibid, Christopher J. H. Wright, Old
Testament Ethics for the People of Food, 235.
[17]
Samuel Ngun Ling, Theological Themes for
Our Times: Reflections on Selected Themes of the Myanmar Institute of Theology (Yangon:
Baptist Printing Press, 2007), 165.
[18]
Salai Bawi Lian, Persecution of Chin Christians in Burma [article online] Available
from http://www.chro.ca/index.php/resources/religious-freedom/363-persecution-of-chin-christians-in-burma-international-conference-on-persecuted-churches, Internet accessed on September 11, 2014.
[20]
Aye New, “Natural Disaster and People’s Cry in Myanmar” in eds, Samuel Ngun
Ling et al, Rays: MIT Journal of
Theology, Vol. 9. January 2009, 168.
[21]
Ibid, Christopher J. H. Wright, Old
Testament Ethics for the People of Food, 236.
[22]
“Buddhist Pagoda inside Christian
Church Compound Increases Religious Tensions in Hpa-an” in Karen News [article online] Available from http://karennews.org/2015/09/buddhist-pagoda-inside-christian-church-compound-increases-religious-tensions-in-hpa-an.html/, Internet accessed on January 21st,
2016.
[23]
Pum Za Mang, “Theology of Suffering: Jürgen Moltmann in Burma” in Khawsiama, et
al, eds., Myanmar Theological Bulletin:
Diamond Jubilee Issue, Vol. 6. 2012, 89.
[24]
Samuel Ngun Ling, Theological Themes for
Our Times: Reflections on Selected Themes of the Myanmar Institute of Theology (Yangon:
Baptist Printing Press, 2007), 15.
[25]
Ibid, Ronald S. Wallace, Readings in 1
Kings: An Interpretation Arranged for Personal and Group Bible Study With
Questions and Notes, 156-157.
[26]
Ibid, Ronald S. Wallace, Readings in 1
Kings: An Interpretation Arranged for Personal and Group Bible Study With
Questions and Notes, 154.
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